Table of Contents
For patients Type 2 diabetes In patients with diabetic kidney disease (T2D), increased intake of ultra-processed foods (UPF) increases the overall risk of microvascular complications, especially diabetic kidney disease, which is partly mediated by biomarkers related to body weight, lipid metabolism, and inflammation.
- High intake of UPF increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases, but whether this translates into an increased risk of diabetic microvascular complications has been little studied.
- The researchers evaluated the association between UPF intake and risk of diabetic microvascular complications in a prospective cohort of 5,685 people with type 2 diabetes from UK Biobank (mean age 59.7 years, 63.8% male).
- Participants' dietary information was collected using a web-based 24-h dietary recall tool that recorded the frequency of intake of 206 foods and 32 beverages.
- The researchers found five patterns that accounted for one-third of the variation in UPF intake by estimated weight (not calories): breads and spreads, cereals with liquids, high in dairy and low in cured meats, sugary drinks and snacks, and mixed drinks and savory snacks.
- Outcomes included overall microvascular complication risk; Diabetic retinopathy, Diabetic neuropathyIt will be used to study biomarkers related to diabetic kidney disease and microvascular complications.
- During a median follow-up of 12.7 years, 1243 cases of complex microvascular complications were reported, including 599 cases of diabetic retinopathy, 237 cases of diabetic neuropathy, and 662 cases of diabetic nephropathy.
- For every 10% increase in the rate of UPF consumption, the risk of composite microvascular complications increased by 8% (hazard ratio[HR]0.018-0.025). [HR]No significant association was found between UPF intake and diabetic retinopathy or diabetic neuropathy.
- In biomarker-mediated analyses, body mass index, Triglyceridesand C-reactive protein together explained 22% (P < .001) and 15.8% (P The associations between UPF intake and composite microvascular complications and diabetic kidney disease were each significantly low (< .001).
- Diets high in sugary drinks and snacks were associated with a higher risk of diabetic kidney disease, while diets high in mixed drinks and salty snacks were associated with a higher risk of complex microvascular complications and diabetic retinopathy.
“Taking into account microvascular complications, our findings further support adherence to the recommendations outlined in the American Diabetes Association's 2022 guidelines, which recommend prioritizing whole foods over highly processed foods,” the authors wrote.
The study was led by Yue Li, MBBS, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. Publish online in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The dietary recall used in the UK Biobank was not specifically designed to collect dietary data according to the Nova food classification used in the study, which may have led to misclassification. Data on usual dietary intake may not have been accurately collected as not all participants provided multiple dietary recalls. People with T2D who completed the dietary assessment were more likely to have a higher socioeconomic status and a healthier lifestyle than those who did not complete the assessment, which may have resulted in an underrepresentation of consumers with higher UPF values.
Some of the authors received funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Key Research and Development Program of China, and other government agencies. None of the authors declare any conflicts of interest.
This article was created using multiple editorial tools, including AI as part of the process; a human editor reviewed this content before publishing.